KMT Chairman Eric Chu has called for unity within his party amid continued pressure for the replacement of Hung Hsiu-chu as the KMT’s presidential candidate.
Hung currently serves as Vice President of the legislature. She is lagging in the polls considerably behind her main rival, Democratic Progressive party candidate Tsai Ing-wen.
At a meeting of the KMT Central Standing Committee on Wednesday, 28 committee members proposed an extraordinary party meeting to discuss ways of boosting Hung’s campaign. The committee passed the proposal unanimously.
The committee members also requested party Chairman Eric Chu himself replace Hung if the council is unable to resolve the problems facing her campaign. The committee members say that this will help the KMT’s legislative candidates, whose campaigns might suffer as a result of Hung’s unpopularity.
In response, Chu said that the purpose of the extraordinary party meeting will be to bring unity to the KMT. Chu said that the opposition remains the KMT’s main opponent, not elements within the party itself.